Library Information Office

Library Information Office

The Library Information Office (LIO), is located in Room 201 Butler Library, just to the left of the main entrance. LIO staff provide a wide variety of services to faculty, staff, students, and visiting readers, including initial requests for visitor access to the Columbia University Libraries. The office also answers general questions about any of the Libraries' services and resources, administers user privileges, clears library blocks due to overdue fines/fees, and distributes publications of a general nature about the Libraries.

LIO staff also process payment of fines and fees for overdue and/or lost library materials. Fines and fees may be paid by credit card (Mastercard, Visa or Discover), check or money order. Cash payments are no longer accepted. The clearance process required before University transcripts and diplomas can be issued, is managed at LIO.

Information
for Columbia students, faculty and staff about using other libraries,
and for visitors to Columbia University who wish to use the Columbia
libraries may be found on our Accessing & Using the Libraries page.

Columbia library users are encouraged to check with the Library Information Office about documentation they may need to consult materials in other metropolitan-area research libraries (METRO) and before visting other SHARES member libraries.

User Privileges

Columbia University undergraduate and graduate students,faculty,and teaching assistants are eligible for semester loan privileges in most libraries. All Columbia libraries are open to valid Columbia ID holders, regardless of discipline or use—with the exceptions of the Law Library and Business Library during midterm and finals and the Rare Book and Manuscript Library (RBML), which is limited to use of RBML materials only. Full-time officers may designate a teaching assistant or research assistant as a deputy borrower as long as the assistant has an official University ID and their own borrowing records. Full-time officers of Columbia University may also obtain library privileges for spouses, and domestic partners. Columbia University alumni who have earned an undergraduate or graduate degree are eligible for reading privileges. Please consult the Library Information Office for specifics.